First Local Longarm Quilting Client Quilt

It feels soooo good to be able to say I crossed off another item on my long WIP list yesterday afternoon! In July, I attended a local arts and crafts gathering at my local airport called “Arts and Parts”. I gave out a few business cards and had a nice time chatting with other local artisans. In August, I received an email from a woman that I had talked with that day, and she asked if I could quilt a quilt top for her in time to gift to her mother just after Thanksgiving. She dropped off the quilt in early September, and she picked up the quilt from me yesterday.

Detail of Quilting

And did I mention that many of the fabrics had a lovely golden sparkle in them? Yum! It was a lot of fun to quilt. 🙂 The quilt top was 77 inches wide by 100 inches long, and I am a bit sad to say I neglected to measure its size when I was done with the quilting (you know I love that information!). I used Quilter’s Dream Dream Green batting.

Fit Check

When I was ready to start quilting, the first thing I checked was how the quilt top sized up in relation to the backing. It’s not that I did not trust my client, but knowing that there was plenty of width and the spacing top to bottom was slightly tighter helped me know how to load it on my longarm.

Quilting Detail on Backing

I just love getting to see the quilting detail on a nearly solid backing like this, too! I quilted using 50wt Aurifil #2000 (Light Sand). We discussed different motifs and settled on a double loop in the center bargello center, ribbon candy in the first border, and a large floral design in the outer border.

It is fun to see how quilting can transform a quilt top! I received an email from my client as soon as she returned home saying that she is amazed with the quilting, and she asked if I would consider quilting her first pieced quilt top for her. I am so glad she liked working with me so much and I look forward to the next project for her!

Wow, Yvonne, I know you have one happy quilting customer. Beautiful quilting and her mother is going to be completely thrilled (I see happy tears!). Way to go!! (I also like to measure after quilting. Then, for my own quilts, after washing.)

I confess I once accidentally give my long-armer backing that was not quite right. I THOUGHT I had checked it, but a couple of months had elapsed and I had simply forgotten that I had not. Checking is a good idea. 🙂

Congratulations on this beautiful quilting finish. How wonderful that she loved your job and wants you to do another. I love your border quilting and now want to go sketch it out. Thanks once again for the inspiration.

About Yvonne

Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl Quilter | Designer | Tech Editor | Blogger

Yvonne is a former aerospace engineer turned modern quilter, designer, and technical editor. She was introduced to quilting by her paternal grandmother in high school when her grandmother offered to hand quilt a twin-size quilt to use in her college dorm room if Yvonne made the quilt top. Now, 25 years later, Yvonne has developed a style that bridges her technical background and love of bold color, specializing in transparency color play and bold, geometric designs. Yvonne’s quilts have been featured in numerous national and international magazines, quilt shows, and Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century. She lives in Tehachapi, California, with her husband.